Today in News History

On June 24, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1914, Pearl Witherington, French secret agent (died 2008) was born. In 1938, Pieces of a meteorite land near Chicora, Pennsylvania. The meteorite is estimated to have weighed 450 metric tons when it hit the Earth's atmosphere and exploded. In 1943, US military police attempt to arrest a black soldier in Bamber Bridge, England, sparking the Battle of Bamber Bridge mutiny that leaves one dead and seven wounded. In 1947, Kenneth Arnold makes the first widely reported UFO sighting near Mount Rainier, Washington. In 1964, Kathryn Parminter, Baroness Parminter, English politician was born. In 1973, The UpStairs Lounge arson attack takes place at a gay bar located on the second floor of the three-story building at 141 Chartres Street in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana, US. Thirty-two people die as a result of fire or smoke inhalation. In 1982, "The Jakarta Incident": British Airways Flight 009 flies into a cloud of volcanic ash thrown up by the eruption of Mount Galunggung, resulting in the failure of all four engines. In 1994, A Boeing B-52 Stratofortress crashes at Fairchild Air Force Base near Spokane, Washington, killing four. In 2021, The Champlain Towers South condominium in Surfside, Florida suffers a sudden partial collapse, killing 98 people inside. In 2024, Shifty Shellshock, American vocalist (born 1974) passed away. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.